SO you thought you lived in a Christian country and less than ten years ago, you probably did. But alas no more.

Christianity, as practised by the dwindling few, is now under siege as never before.

Our former national religion has now been so marginalised and derided, particularly by the public institutions that should be defending it.

Religious liberty was once regarded as a cornerstone of our democratic, respectful and tolerant nation but alas a new form of virulent secularism is sweeping through our nation and its target is Christianity.

The recent case of the nurse Shirley Chaplin, who has lost her Industrial Tribunal case and been banned by Devon and Exeter NHS from wearing a crucifix while attending patients, is an illustration of the curtailment of our religious freedom. It came despite the fact that she had worn it whilst carrying out her duties with the elderly for the last 30 years, without any incident arising with patients allegedly grabbing it, as was cited as the reason for her being prevented from wearing it here.

There may have been some justification if small children were involved, but Nurse Chaplin has only ever worked with the elderly.

She lost her appeal through a typical bureaucratic mixture of authoritarianism and arrogance and you wonder who appointed these quangocrats to pronounce on religious doctrine.

JOHN TILLEY, The Oaks, Chorley.